TOBAGO, an island in the Columbian Archipelago, in 11° 16' N. lat., 60° 30' W. long., is the most southern of the Caribbee Islands, and lies about 25 Miles N.N.E. from Trinidad, and 82 miles S.L. from Grenada. Its greatest length from north-east to south-west is 32 miles ; the greatest breadth, 12 miles. The area is 97 square miles, or 62,030 acres, of which about 8000 acres were under cultivation iu 1852. The population in 1852 was 14,794, of whom 190 were whites. Scar borough, the capital of the island, situated at the foot of a hill, on the south-east coast, has a population of about 3000. A mountainous ridge, 2000 feet high, at its north-eastern extremity, extends the whole length of the island, descending towards the south and west in a succession of conical heights and hills of no great elevation, which nra separated from the coast by broken plains and lowlands. Eight rivers, with numerous tributaries, water all parts of the island. The rocks are chiefly limestone. The soil of the lower grounds is generally a rich dark mould, which, with the climate of the island, is extremely favourable to the cultivation of the sugar-cniae. On both sides of the island there are bays admitting vessels of from 150 to 250 tons burden; vessels of the largest size find shelter in King's By on the south-east coast, and in the bays of Man of War, Courland, and Sandy Point, on the north-east coast The climate is agreeably tempered by the sea breeze, but in the leas open parts the heat is oppressive, and acting on the extensive marshes, produces at times much fatal sickness. The rata of mortality among the white troops has been found during a series of years to be above 15 per cent., being double that of the other Went India islands. The climate however has considerably improved with the increase of cleared lands. At Fort King George, which occupies thu summit of a bill above Scarborough, the mean temperature of the year is 79° Fehr. The hurricanes, so frequent in other West India Islands, seldom reach Tobago, which however suffered considerably from one of those visitations iu October, 1847. The moat valuable productions of the island are the sugarcane, coffee, cotton, Indian and Guinea corn, cocoa-nuts, figs, pine-apples, pomegranates, oranges, lemons, bananas, grapes, tamarinds, papaws, cashew-nuts, melons, and pumpkins. Potatoes, yams, onions, and cassavas are grown. Ilorses,
asses, cattle, and sheep have multiplied greatly in the island, and wild hogs are very numerous. Cultivation is confined to the low grounds and a few patches on the declivity of the hills, and the chief article of produce and export is sugar.
Tobago is included in the government of the Windward Islands, and its affairs are administered by a lieutenant-governor, a legislative council of 9 members, and a house of assembly of 16 membera. It possesses nine courts of judicature. The revenue is derived from import tonnage and lighthouse dues, export duties, assessed taxes, and an income and land tax. The exports are chiefly sugar, rum, and molasses, with small quantities of cotton and arrow root. The imports are cotton, linen, nud woollen manufactures, hardware, earthenware, enddlery, stationery, soap and candles, flour, fish, and lumber. In 1852 the revenue of the island was 7476/. The colonial expenditure was 7677/. The value of the imports was 53,5191. The value of the exports was 56,831/. The shipping inward amounted to 8172 tons ; the shipping outward amounted to 9296 tone. Tobago is in the diocese of Barhadoes and the archdeaconry of Trinidad, and is divided into three rectories, comprising five churches and ohapels. The Wesleyan Methodists have five chapels, and the Menelaus two. The Church of England has eight schools in the Island ; the Wesleyan Methodists have nix schools; the Moravians have two schools.
Tobago was discovered by Columbus in 1496, and derives its name from the pipe (' tobacco') used by the natives io smoking the herb kohibe (tobacco). At an early poriod the British flag was planted ou the island, and James 1. granted it to the Earl of Pembroke, but I no attempt was made by the English to colonise it. In 1632 the Dutch formed a settlement and called the island New Walcheren, but the Spaniards from Trinidad attacked and destroyed the colony. Twenty years afterwards the Dutch returned, and soon after a party of about 100 Courlenders arrived, the Duke of Courland, godson of James L, having obtained a grant of the island. In 1763 it was ceded by France to England. In 17S1 the French captured it. In 1793 General Cuyler, with 2000 men, took the island; and it has ever since been a British possession.